1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a converged personal network service (CPNS) framework. More particularly, the present invention relates to assignment of a user key for the CPNS.
2. Related Art
Among various developed techniques, the conventional technique such as digital living alliance network (DLNA), ZigBee®, etc., focuses on the search and use of a service of a device in a specific personal area network (PAN), and a tethering technique focuses on a connection between heterogeneous networks.
On the other hand, unlike the simple PAN, the concept of a converged personal network service (CPNS) is introduced.
The CPNS allows devices belonging to a personal network (PN) (also referred to as a personal area network (PAN)) to receive several services.
The CPNS is implemented by using a CPNS server, a CPNS gateway, and a device supporting the CPNS. In addition thereto, a general server and general devices may also be present.
The CPNS is based on the PN. The PN is an aggregation of devices. The CPNS gateway is placed within the PN. Through the CPNS gateway, a service of the devices belonging to the PN is registered to the CPNS server. Thereafter, a device which provides a specific service can be searched from the CPNS server. On the basis of this search, an external entity can share the service provided from the device.
The CPNS gateway (also referred to a PN gateway (GW)) takes a role of connecting the PN to another network. The CPNS device is also referred to as a personal network entity (PNE), and is a constitutional element of the PN. One PNE may be an aggregation of several devices, or may be a single device.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing the concept of a CPNS.
Referring to FIG. 1, there are a general server, a CPNS server, a CPNS gateway, a CPNS device, and a general device.
The CPNS server can communicate with one or more CPNS gateways (i.e., PN gateways), and can transmit and receive data. Each CPNS server can exchange data by communicating with one or more CPNS devices in a PN (or a personal area network (PAN)) through the CPNS gateway.
Each of the CPNS devices can transmit and receive data with respect to one or more other CPNS devices or general devices through the CPNS gateway.
The CPNS gateway can transmit and receive data by communicating with the CPNS server, or a CPNS gateway belonging to another PN, or a CPNS device.
Each CPNS server can transmit and receive data by communicating with the general server and the CPNS gateway.
For example, the CPNS server and the CPNS gateway can communicate with each other by using a cellular network, and the CPNS gateway and the CPNS device can communicate with each other by using near field communication, e.g., BLUETOOTH™, NFC, ZigBee®, Wi-Fi, etc.
Meanwhile, the CPNS server manages and controls communication between the CPNS gateway and the CPNS device. As a result, applications and information are exchanged, thereby being able to increase a user experience. For example, in FIG. 1, a user acquires location information from another CPNS device (e.g., GPS) by using any CPNS device, transmits the location information to the CPNS server through the CPNS gateway, and receives a location-based service from the CPNS server.
Accordingly, the user can receive various services via several CPNS devices belonging to the PN.